1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video recording apparatus which allow a level of recording image quality to be freely selected when receiving television broadcast waves for recording video signals contained therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video recording systems are known which receive and record analog television broadcasting signals. In such a conventional system, recording is performed with an image quality selected by a user regardless of a condition in the reception of radio waves. Thus, there may be a case where the system records signals in a high quality image mode although it has poor reception of radio waves. Further, a video recording apparatus for recording digital television broadcasting signals is known which detects data on a maximum bit rate in digital signals, determines a recording rate based on the detection, and records the signals at the recording rate (see, for example, Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-77817).
However, the conventional system which records analog broadcasting signals may record signals in a high quality image mode even in circumstances when it is unnecessary to perform recording in the high quality image mode, i.e., when it is sufficient to perform recording in a low quality image mode. This may result in inefficient use of recording area in a recording medium, e.g., a hard disk, in the video recorder. Further, the technique disclosed in the above mentioned patent publication is not applicable to analog broadcasts which do not contain data on the bit rate.